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Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah

The 14th-century Sufi shrine of Nizamuddin Auliya, alive every Thursday evening with qawwali singers.

Where
New Delhi
Time needed
2 hr visit
Tickets
Free
Free entry
Free entry all day
The illuminated Nizamuddin Dargah at night with qawwali singers The illuminated Nizamuddin Dargah at night with qawwali singers

What to expect at Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah

Nizamuddin Auliya (1238-1325) was the fourth great saint of the Chishti Sufi order and the spiritual centre of the Delhi Sultanate for a generation. His shrine in the eponymous Nizamuddin Basti is one of the most important Sufi sites in South Asia and still very much a living one — the tomb is visited by pilgrims of every faith, and the surrounding neighbourhood is a Muslim quarter of narrow lanes, kebab houses and calligraphy shops. From Gurugram it is a 45-60 minute drive north across the border.

You approach through a narrow bazaar lane lined with flower sellers, stalls selling chadars (ceremonial cloths) to offer at the shrine, kebab and biryani houses, and one bookseller who has been in place for forty years. The shrine compound holds Nizamuddin's white marble tomb, the tombs of his disciple Amir Khusro (father of qawwali) and later Mughal princess Jahanara Begum, and a small mosque. Thursday-evening qawwali sessions begin around 6:30pm and run until 9pm, with singers who have inherited the tradition through unbroken lineage from the fourteenth century.

Come on a Thursday evening for the qawwali, arriving by 6pm to find a spot in the courtyard. Any other evening the shrine is calm and prayerful. Cover your head (scarves available at the entrance for ₹20), leave shoes at the marked stand (₹10). Photography inside the shrine is discouraged; the courtyard is fine. Combine with a dinner of kebabs at Karim's or Ghalib Kabab Corner in the lanes outside. Combine easily with Humayun's Tomb, a ten-minute walk south.

Plan your visit TicketsFree Free entryFree entry all day Time needed2 hr visit WhereNew Delhi Opening hours Mon-Sun 5:00-22:30 Hotels near Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah

Questions about Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah

Is there an entry fee?

No, entry to the shrine is free. Offerings and flowers are optional.

When is the qawwali?

Every Thursday from about 6:30pm to 9pm; smaller sessions on other days.

How long for a visit?

Two hours including a walk through the surrounding lanes.

Any closed days?

Never closed — open every day of the year.

Do I need to book?

No booking — walk in through the lane entrance.

Nearest metro?

JLN Stadium on the Violet Line, then a 20-minute walk east into Nizamuddin Basti.

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